NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
In the autumn of 1913 in Aegean Thrace the sun of hope extinguished forever. Hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians were driven away from their homes, and those who failed to leave were brutally killed. Children, old people, women and men were slain by the yataghans of Enver Pasha and his army. The news spread everywhere and so the people named the place - "Armagan - the valley of death."
A caravan of more than 50 000 people headed to the borders of Old Bulgaria. Many of them reached the Arda River but only a handful of people managed to cross it.
100 years later starts a NATIONAL CAMPAIGN for the creation of an epic film about the fate of the Thracian refugees.
Let everyone know about this inhuman tragedy. Let everyone pray to his/her God for those poor people caught in the hell of the cruel hatred.
The Bulgarian Thracian Society "Georgi Sapunarov" - Haskovo, in cooperation with the Municipality of Ivaylovgrad and the Thracian Society "Trakia" - Svilengrad, invites you to join our national campaign to raise funds to supplement the budget for the realization of the film project "Armagan - the valley of death".
Let us all together do something to capture forever this serious drama from the history of the Bulgarian people.
You can make your donations in the following three ways:
1. ProCreditBank - account number – 372774
Issuing branch – Haskovo, IBAN BG35PRCB92301037277412
2. Paypal: rosipay@mail.bg
3. ePay: account number – 6756658789
You can donate any amount without desiring any of the above proposals.
Donors who want to get involved as volunteers in the production - in a team or as supernumeraries, have every right to, and may declare it byleaving their contacts and the position they want to take in the team to the specified email addresses. Apart from funds, the filming also needs costumes, props and human resources.
The donations and the revenues are controlled by the Thracian Society “Georgi Sapunarov” and an accounting activity is carried out before the members for any cost or revenue. All revenues from the film will go to the Thracian organizations and the investors, ratedly allocated according to their investments or donations.
All investors, advertisers and sponsors will be listed in the final credits of the film and will be advertised in all premieres and presentations.
Summary
"Armagan – the Valley of Death" - a historical saga about the tragic history of the Bulgarian population in Western Thrace in 1913.
There are no people still alive among those who survived the events in 1913 but their descendants still talk.
1913 – a year of grandeur and tragedy. Grandeur because the Thracian Bulgarians showed real heroism to defend themselves as Bulgarians. Tragedy because they experienced not only destruction but a terrible ethnic extermination as well. This is the story of Thrace.
Fleeing from Dedeagach, the Thracian refugees were attacked by Turkish army of 200 soldiers – bashibazouks. A deadly massacre followed. Hundreds of old men, women and children fell under the bloody yataghans. The terrible newsspread everywhere and so the people named the place - "Armagan - the Valley of Death".
That place became the starting point for the salvation or the destruction of two clans. Starting point for the beginning of a love. The love between Kaloyan and Stoyna. Love, too short and pre-doomed by history but remembered by the generations. Love that saved a child who later would tell about the events.
A film inspired by real historical events, a history told by descendants of the Thracian Bulgarians who survived those events.
"Remember but don’t take revenge."
little about Writer...
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Rossitsa Karadzhova was born on 21 July 1992 in Haskovo into a family of deaf people. She has one older sister, who is also deaf. At birth, doctors diagnosed 80% congenital deaf-muteness. In Bulgarian law, she is therefore considered second-category disabled.
She is a member of the Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria.
From the age of 6 she has danced in the modern dance group of the Regional Office of the Deaf in Haskovo.
She is currently completing high school at the Raina Knyaginya
school in Haskovo. In 2009 she was awarded the title ‘Miss Silence – Bulgaria’.
In 2010 she took part in the first edition of the ‘Bailando’ dance show. She made it to the finals and fundamentally changed perceptions of the deaf in Bulgaria.
In 2011 she was part of the jury at the Miss Bulgaria – Silence. She has won awards at 8 of the Bulgarian Union of the deaf festivals.
She has participated in a number of different fashion shows and advertisement campaigns, done photo-shoots and professional work as a dancer in shows and concerts. She dreams of studying acting and becoming an actress.
Her wish is to study acting and become an actress.
She dreams of having news and television programmes translated into sign language.
She hopes people will stop calling the deaf ‘deaf-mute.’ She hopes the disabled can be integrated within society.
She hopes her book will become a screenplay and film in which she can play herself.
She dreams of proving that the two worlds of the deaf and the hearing can merge and become one.
On the 27th of July 2011 “SIELA” publishing house published
Rositza’s debut novel named “The rhythm of the heart”. Shortly after, Rositza makes a film script adaptation of the novel. For her work she receives a nomination in the category of “best young screenplay writer” and the “best script award” by the Thracian association at the “Southern Spring” festival.
An American team has already been selected to implement the project. The film is based on a true story, a film in which Rositza will play herself. Her fans create the official website for the movie and the novel “The Rhythm of the Heart” www.rhythm-bg.com
In 2011 she was awarded the medal of honor for her work – the highest ranking award of the union of the deaf in Bulgaria. In late 2011 Rositza receives a special scholarship for young talent by the ministry of culture in the republic of Bulgaria.
At the moment Rositza is working on her movie, and is continuing to dream and write down her stories.
MOTIVATIONAL LETTER
Over the years I’ve learned not to pile up negative emotions, but to smile and look ahead positively. I’ve always said – every one of us either wants to be happy or wants to be unhappy. I prefer the former.
I was born in a black and white world and from a very early age I learned to add the colors of my life with a lot of effort, and I will continue to enrich the palette until I complete the rainbow. And you know, whoever goes under the rainbow brings happiness with himself and within himself.
I have many hopes and ambitions, there is light in front of me and I will follow the path step by step. But most important for me is that the community and people who can hear ununerstand that we “deaf” people exist and are among you. Sometimes I find it very difficult for myself and for all deaf people. For us it is important to know that you think about us that we are accepted into your world.
Maybe some of you will ask why I describe my feelings, thoughts and stories in novels and screenplays. Well, I will explain...
Someday I’ll have a husband. Maybe I will have sons and daughters of my own and they will have children. They will all love me, and someday when I grow old and go to the angels in heaven, they’ll remember me. But when the years pass and my children are gone and their children as well, I will be forgotten. My stories, however will remain and perhaps a small part of the world will remember me. This is one of the things that make me feel happy.
What do you need to do to make you happy? Just be. Raise your head and smile. Nothing is needed. Just look around. There are people who love you. So much!
There was a film in which a blind girl asked her boyfriend... “What color is the wind?” Unbelievable, right? I have always wondered, what is the sound of music?
No amount of money in this world can make me hear and heal me, but that does not stop me from fighting for my dreams. I’ll be strong!
If only one person learns something nice from me or learns a lesson from my story, this will be a reward enough for me.
My dreams are to write my stories and to be an actress. Well, my dreams are not related to stopping global warming, nor to health or world peace, but they are my dreams. I, like any other living creature, have the right to fight for them. What’s important is the way I will go. I think that for now I am walking with dignity.
None of us can completely see or hear. Therein lies our uniqueness, in our own incommpleteness and imperfections that are constantly pushing us forward. Blindness or deafness, physical or spiritual, have always been and will be both our punishment and our gift. We choose whether to punish ourselves allowing the pain to absorb us or not. However, we must not forget that the greatest gift is always what a person gives to himself.
Now for my story...
Sometimes I feel that my life was hard and my deafness is a barrier for many reasons. All-hough I’m strong, sometimes there are difficult and unbearable moments in my life. But when I think of this story, I understand that there are many fates worse than mine. I realize it is important to be good and that my minor everyday problems are a drop in the ocean of diff-ficulties in every human’s life.
For the story to be pleasant, I changed some facts and events and I flew on the magic carpet of my imagination. I guess I can’t escape from myself, from my own style – after all, it’s me.
This is a story about a beautiful love, a serious battle and very strong faith. And you, dear reader, do not stop dreaming and fighting.
The world will be better if we smile, forgive and do nice things for others. And since faith is one of the permanent weapons of people I sincerely believe that one day we will all do it together, we will believe and we will change the world. You will see! Until then - goodbye!
Rossi...
Production: Bulgaria/USA
Media: Cinema, DVD, TV, Internet, Festivals
Format: Full-Length feature film
Idea: Rositza Karadjova
Copyright: Rositza Karadjova
Producers: Rositza Karadjova
Title: "Armagan - the valley of death"
Script: Rositza Karadjova
Genre: drama, historicalL
ength: 90 minutes
Target: The target group includes all citizens. Different characters suggest that there is no division by age group, job and social status. The concept we have is addressed to all audiences. The film will be open to all citizens regardless of social status, ethnicity or religion.
Contacts and questions: ...
Thracian Society "George Sapunarova" - Haskovo:
Address: Haskovo, Burgas St 23
Email: trakia_hs@abv.bg
Phone: 00359896 395939 - Dobromira Todorova - Project Coordinator